September First
by mademoiselle.poupee
Summary: Was it so long ago that they carried the weight of the world on their shoulders? How odd that another generation who talked and acted like them sat laughing on the train to school, carrying none of the burdens their parents had, fearing nothing but test scores, Filch and not getting caught. How odd yet how wonderful! [My version of Nineteen Years Later]


_September 1st 2016_

The clock struck half-past ten as they pushed past the usual bustling crowds of King's Cross Station. Redundantly perhaps, he looked at the watch on his wrist for the third time that hour. _Half-past ten_. He grinned – quite an improvement from the last two years.

"Give it a rest, Lily. You're already halfway through."

The aforementioned Lily reluctantly lifted her eyes from the thick tome she held in her small hands, turned around from where she sat atop a large, brown trunk, her dark red hair falling against her back, her brown eyes narrowing on her brother pushing the trolley, before imperiously burying herself once more in her book.

"You know, you don't have to have finish the whole book by the first week of classes," her brother continued, "Come on, _Rosie_ , any more of that and you'll be beating Sirius' grammar school record!" he laughed.

"Leave your sister alone, James," their mother intervened, interrupting her other son, nervously cataloguing aloud the books he had packed.

"Really, Mum," James coaxed, running a hand over the mess of his jet-black hair, his green eyes crinkling in amusement, "I don't even think they're bound to study pollination until next year!"

"If you must know," Lily began, her eyes once more reluctantly leaving her book, "we're supposed to have a quiz on _pollination_ on Monday, Jamie."

"Which I'm sure you will perfect at this point. You need to take a break, kid. Come on, you promised Dad that –,"

"Daddy –," Lily implored before her brother can finish, turning her brown eyes to her father. "Daddy, please. I _have_ to master which part of the flower an agent takes pollen from and which part the pollen should fall on. Mummy, tell them _please_!"

Her small legs swung back-and-forth against the edge of her brother's trunk, unconsciously creating a swirl of dust that rose in spiral patterns just below her ankles, a phenomenon whose unusualness fortunately escaped the notice of the otherwise occupied crowd bustling here and there. At seven, her looks were in every way the image of her grandmother, from the falling waves of auburn on her back, to the delicacy of her small hands, to the lily-like paleness of her complexion. Only her eyes, as chocolate brown as her mother's, did not recall Lily Evans, and those very eyes at present hungrily returned to the book she held, as if it might divulge to her the secrets of the universe.

"Like mother, like daughter," Harry couldn't stop himself from laughing aloud at the picture before him, earning himself, for a few seconds, a glare from his wife until her face showed that like her husband, she had digested the words her daughter had just said and heard the little girl she had been, coming out of her little daughter's mouth.

Hermione sighed, walking to her daughter and marking the book before it vanished into a small beaded bag. She ran her hand along her daughter's tresses and smiled. "How about Daddy and I'll study it with you tonight, Popkin? Now let's just get these two troublemakers on the train and off to Hogwarts, okay?"

The bargain seemed to appease the little girl for the moment and the family of five continued their way through the station.

"Mum, are you _absolutely_ sure you've put the Syllabary in?" their younger son suddenly called out from his own trolley, his trunk seemingly bursting, filled to the brim as it was.

"What do you need the Syllabary for?!" James interrupted, "you can't take Ancient Runes until you're in my year."

"I might find it a useful reference for some essay. How about _Transfiguration for Beginners_? I know Lil was skimming through it last night – can't remember if she put it back," Sirius answered, his green eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Whatever you may have left behind – and you didn't leave anything behind –," Harry interrupted before his son can cut him off. "We'll owl to you."

"Mum, are you sure I won't need my broom? Teddy says they're going to give us a series of tests during the sorting. Suppose flying is one of them?"

"First years aren't allowed broomsticks," Hermione and Lily answered at the same time, "Besides," Hermione continued, "You know that Teddy likes a laugh. We told you, all you have to do is put on a hat."

"And cross your fingers that the hat puts you in Gryffindor instead of Ravenclaw or Slytherin – Uncle Ron will never let you hear the end of it."

His parents only rolled their eyes.

"But what are the odds of us not being sorted into Gryffindor?" Lily added, "The whole family's been sorted into Gryffindor – Mummy and Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa, Grandpa's parents too, I suppose since Gran and Gramps and Grandma's parents are muggles.

"You'll be surprised," Harry answered as he lifted Lily from James' trunk. The family slowed down as the barrier between platforms nine and then came into sight. "It tried to put your mum in Ravenclaw and me in Slytherin."

"But it put you in Gryffindor in the end," Lily replied, matter-of-factly.

"Well we told it to put us in Gryffindor," Hermione answered in the same tone, looking at her son whose expression seem to take one of relief after having heard that. "Now," Hermione continued, "Go on, James. Remember to make sure that –,"

"No muggles can see me," he sighed. "I know, Mum. I've done this twice before. Alright then, I'll see the rest of you at the other side." And with that he was gone in the blink of an eye.

"Sirius, your turn," she smiled at the anxious boy who pushed his trolley in front of his father and sister.

"Go on now," Harry smiled, running a light hand over the brown hair as messy as his own, "do a bit of a run if you feel nervous and James will wait for you there." He nodded at his parents and they were left facing a brick wall.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"You're thinking what I think you're thinking," Harry stated, a fact, not a question, in response to the far off-gaze in Hermione's eyes as she stood transfixed at the red brick before them.

"And that is?" she took Lily from Harry's arms; she was getting too big to be carried around but she was the baby and none of them could grow out of the habit.

"You're thinking that the boys are growing up too fast and you're remembering the day we first dropped James off at grammar school. Then it was Sirius, then we were sending James off to Hogwarts and now Lily's just started at grammar school and Sirius is leaving for Hogwarts today and –,"

"In four years, it will be Lily's turn," she finished with a sigh. "Somehow this day seemed happier when we were the ones leaving for Hogwarts."

"Of course, we were the ones leaving, not the ones being left behind."

"When did you become the sensitive one?" Hermione laughed, brushing away the black strands that fell into his eyes. "I think I'm rubbing off on you."

"After twenty-five years, I should hope so," Harry smiled, winding an arm around Hermione's shoulders as she wound her own around his waist.

Holding each other _like this_ – it was his favorite form of contact with her, reminding him of that Christmas night nineteen years ago; they had held each other before, as children even, his hand in hers, her hand in his, but that night was different. On that night he had dreamed of since his eleventh birthday, when he confronted a past he couldn't remember that brought him back to the place where it all began, when he felt most alone, most abandoned, it was her touch that told him he wasn't alone, the first, and still the only part of his present that had seen his past, embraced it, and held him as they stepped into the future.

It was on days like this that he remembered that night the most.

The activity had replaced the silence, the last warmth of the summer replaced the bitter cold of winter, and the little girl in Hermione's arms replaced the wreath of Christmas roses that lay before them, but they held each other the very same way they had that Christmas evening so long ago.

"Come now," Hermione finally said, resolve in her voice, "the boys will be wondering where we've gone to, and we have to keep them in check before they start causing trouble before the term even starts."

The moment they found themselves in the platform, the fire-red engine looming nearby, the chatter took off where it left off.

"Is that Teddy?! Dad, have you got a galleon? I bet Dom that Teddy will be hiding from Uncle Bill after what Rita Skeeter caught him and Vicky doing last summer and –,"

"And what makes you think I will allow you to spend our hard-earned money on something you're not even supposed to be doing, young man?"

"No, Mum. It was just a friendly – well, Dom and I, you see –,"

"Mum, have you seen the book I was reading in the car? I asked Lil to hold it for a second and – oh, there it is!"

"What's that sticking out of your book? That looks a lot like Daddy's –,"

"Just some spare bit of parchment, Lil, just forgot to pack –,"

"Mummy, have you seen the Foyle's card Gran gave me? I can't find it in my backpack."

"Daddy has it sweetheart."

"Is that –?"

"No it can't possibly be –,"

"Dad, look!"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

A young girl, strawberry blonde locks tied into a neat ponytail advanced towards them, one hand on her waist, the expression on her face clearly revealing the extent of her annoyance. On her other hand she held a broomstick, its handle's polish revealing its novelty. She said her hellos to the family and turned a gaze of steel to the firstborn of the Potter children.

"What took you so long?!"

"Long?!" James glanced at his own watch, a thirteenth birthday present from his muggle grandparents. "Dom, we're twenty minutes early!"

"Which means to say you're ten minutes late! Have you seen Artie yet?"

"I was just going to ask you if _you've_ seen him!"

Dominique rolled her eyes skyward as if asking for patience before giving an annoyed grunt, " _Par la barbe de Merlin!_ _Encore en retard – et cette fois tous les deux!"_

"Oh, hello Aunt Fleur, I didn't see you there," James retorted sarcastically. "Oops, it's just you Dom, sorry – the resemblance is uncanny."

The glare she gave him reminded the whole family of Fleur Weasley exactly that the whole family burst into laughter – her Uncle George often said that _Dom-mee-neek_ as he called her, while taking after her father most of the time, transformed into her mother when angry, the furious veela features included in the package, which meant everyone should run away screaming. Her mother was clearly not amused.

"I'd say Grandma Molly too," Sirius added, leaving his trolley with his father and continuing before Dominique could cheek his comment. His anxiety, it seemed, had dissipated at the sight of the broom. "Dom," he said gravely as he looked at the broomstick in her hand, his eyes glassy with reverence, "Is that what I think it is? Where did you get it? Are sponsors sending Aunt Ginny broomsticks again?!"

"What –? How –? When –? It's not even supposed to be out until next month!" James exclaimed, forgetting his teasing and walking towards the broom. "Can I touch it?"

Unconsciously, Harry himself realized that he had been staring at the polished mahogany too long, as giddy as his sons as he felt his wife rolling her eyes (" _Honestly_ , it's just a broom!). In her arms, he knew Lily was perfectly indifferent.

Dominique's eyes gleamed in delight.

"It's Louis', she grinned. "Apparently Tante Gabrielle's new boyfriend is some big shot Quidditch star in Lyon and the team ordered them for the World Cup, so she asked him to get her one to send to Louis for his birthday. Obviously, she forgot that first years aren't allowed their own brooms in Hogwarts. So since Vicky hates flying, the Firebolt is all _mine_ this year."

The Potter boys stared at her, jaws dropping, as their father estimated how much the new Firebolt would cost and wondered if presenting it as a reward to the boys for receiving good marks in school would convince his wife to empty a good chunk of their vault in Gringotts. Of course, he knew what Hermione's answer would be but it was a good subject to commiserate over with Ron.

Dominique's grin widened, if that was possible as she turned to the younger of the boys.

"You should go and join Louis, Sirius. He's over there sulking," she pointed to a carriage somewhere down the middle with two adults in front of it, and a red-head boy, clearly frazzled, attempting to throw off his mother's arms. "Of course," Dominique continued, "that might be Mum's fussing. She's spent the last few days crying that her baby was going away to school. Quite annoying, really, so Vicky and I left Dad to deal with it and Vick's probably in some corner snogging Teddy now that Dad's not looking."

Hilarity written clearly on his face, Sirius took the trolley from his father and ran to the carriage where he could audibly laugh at his best friend's distress.

The rest of the family and Dominique trooped behind him, Dominique and James leading the way, talking in conspiratorial tones.

"I also have something to show you, look –,"

Dominique gasped, "Does Aunt Hermione know?!"

"What do I –," Hermione cut off as her eyes widened at her son's open bag, James trembling under her look and shooting his best friend the darkest glare he can muster. "Harry you didn't!"

"Hermione, James –," Harry took Lily from her mother, allowing her arms to settle on her hips, akimbo, as Harry guilty stuttered his response which was almost immediately cut off by the cry of –

"Oy! Come back here and help your father with _your_ luggage, you little hooligan!"

Instants later, Arthur Weasley – freckled, lanky, the image of Ron as James was Harry's, caught up with his cousin and best friend, briefly colliding with Lily who let out an indignant, "Honestly!", his father at his heels.

"Phew, we got here on time," Ron panted, slowing down and joining his own best friends. "The twins decided to set their breakfast on fire just to see if they could hatch the boiled eggs – the missus was afraid Artie would miss the train. Hello, Potters!"

Their collective hello was followed by Hermione's, "Speaking of which, where is Mary?"

"Somewhere around here yelling at the boys. They decided they were hungry as soon as we arrived so Mary started yelling that it was their fault if they hadn't had any breakfast and that she had no problem embarrassing them in public if that's what would make them stop acting like a pair of goblins so she sent us ahead just in case Artie might miss the train. She'll be here as soon as the twins have been thoroughly embarrassed."

"Fred and George, one might say," Harry laughed.

"George is delighted of course," Ron smiled, the quiver in his voice nonetheless discernible, "Mary's furious that he gave them free access to the shop _again_. Their room looks like Graup walked through it and we're starting to hear explosions coming out of it – just like old times I say."

"Bloody hell, Dom!"

All three adults' heads snapped at Artie's wide-eyed exclamation.

"What's – Is that?"

Dominique grinned at her uncle, nodding vigorously. "Louis' birthday present, courtesy of Tante Gabrielle. It's all mine this year."

"Blimey," Ron began with reverence, approaching his niece and lightly running a finger along the broom's handle as if it might break and thinking aloud, "I wonder how much one would cost – Mary won't agree of course, but suppose I don't tell her until after –"

"What won't I agree with and what won't you tell me?"

A small blonde woman with a jovial face walked towards them, a satisfied smirk on her lips, flanked by a pair of identical, sulking boys, their hands in their pockets, their faces almost as red as their hair.

"Well?"

"Darling," Ron held up the broom, "don't you think my old Cleansweep is getting too old? It might be safer for everyone if –,"

"The answer is no, Ronald Weasley. You're not draining our vault for a new broomstick. I don't care if it's the new Firebolt and I don't care if the Chudley Cannons are using them."

"Mum, come on," Artie pleaded, standing beside his cousin and revering the broomstick at hand, "I promise you won't have to buy me a birthday present until I leave Hogwarts!"

"Arthur Ronald Weasley, I will repeat what I have just told your father, no."

"But, Mum"

"No."

"Look!," one of the twins called to the other, as their older brother sulked in the company of his friends, the three resuming the conspiratorial tone of their conversation, "Rosie doesn't have a book on her!"

"Feels like Christmas came early this year," answered the other.

"Rosie" glared at the perceived insult and at the use of the nickname. "Roses," the twins once said, "are thorny, lilies aren't," – the name was almost immediately picked-up by her brothers, as well as by the children of her parents' friends to whom Lily Potter became Rosie Potter when bossiness struck. It was her best friends' way of keeping her in check.

"That's true!" Mary Weasley said, glad for the change in subject "how did you manage it?"

"Bribed her with more books, I'm guessing." Ron laughed.

"Promised her a trip to Foyle's this afternoon," Harry sighed. "If she stopped reading as soon as we got here – Hermione's idea of course."

"That muggle bookstore?" Mary exclaimed, "But we were with you last week at Flourish and Blott's! Didn't you buy four new books?"

"Five," mother and daughter answered at the same time, flashing matching grins.

"But Mummy promised me the whole Anne of Green Gables series – it's about a little muggle girl in Canada. It's Gran's favorite and that would be eight new books!" Lily added proudly. "They should be nine but Gran says I shouldn't read the last until I'm at least James' age."

"Merlin," Ron answered. "Talk about the apple not falling far from the tree. Someone will be keeping my twins out of trouble at Hogwarts at the least."

"Thanks for the wonderful confidence in us, Dad," the twins stated in unision.

"I'm not a miracle worker, Uncle Ron." Lily answered, making all adults around her laugh.

"Shut up, Rosie."

"That reminds me," Mary continued, turning to her husband, "Your sons are banned for a month from visiting the premises of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes."

"Why is it that they're always _my_ sons whenever they do something you don't like?" Ron feigned offense.

"Because," his retorted, "they told me that it's _your_ brother that gave them the idea to blow-up breakfast, that's why. Oh, I almost forgot," addressing everyone, "we came across Ginny and Neville on the way here. Neville's going on the train this year. Seems like he'll be the one to keep an eye on the prefects so Bill can be happy about that – happier than Alice in any case, Vicky won't try anything with with her uncle watching. Speaking of which, where are they?"

Sirius, opportunely, chose that moment to appear, Louis Weasley, grinning and freed from his mother, at his side.

"Dad, we need help. My trunk won't go in the compartment."

"What do you mean it won't go in?"

"It's too heavy."

"Dad tried to levitate it," Louis supplied, "but apparently it won't lift. He says it needs more wands. Mum's fussing over _him_ now."

"Blimey, Hermione!" Ron cried as they stopped in front of the carriage where Bill sat atop Sirius' trunk, visibly exhausted, as Fleur handed him a glass of water for relief, "you're not really sending the boy to Hogwarts with all those books!"

"I'll have you know that that," Hermione pointed to the trunk indignantly, "is all Sirius' doing! I've done nothing but ask Harry to seal it shut."

"Which I've accomplished," Harry added, "with two binding spells and by casting _Reducto_ four times, and I had to bind it again with those suspenders Hermione's dad uses to seal his luggage to make sure it won't open before they reach Hogwarts."

"Blimey, mate!" Ron turned to Harry blinking.

"Welcome to my every day," Harry laughed. "Living with three geniuses at home, thank Merlin we have James – who else would I talk to during meals without sounding like a complete idiot?"

"Hey, I heard that!"

Hermione, laughing, took that as a sign to affectionately ruffle her firstborn's hair which was received with a, "Mum!"

"I told you," they heard Fleur's shrill voice lecturing Bill, "you are too proud. You are not as young as you were, you need 'elp. Now look at ze state of your back!"

"I battle a bloody werewolf and now I can't even lift a trunk full of books," he grumbled.

"Vell, you're an old father of three cheeldren going to school now so suck eet up!"

"Alright then, let's get this trunk in before the train leaves – ten minutes," Bill stated, standing up, "We'll probably need Ron's help as well. Tell your parents," he said, motioning to Sirius, "that if they want to send you to school with an ambulatory library, to ask Flourish and Blotts to deliver it straight to Hogwarts! All these books should merit a free delivery!"

All trunks mounted into the train, the children hoisted theirs into the luggage compartment, before immediately descending to say goodbye. They had emerged just in time to hear one of the twins, a sinister grin on his face, saying, "Uncle Bill, guess who we saw in that corner over there – Teddy, Teddy Lupin snogging Vicky!"

"And you decided to bother them, I suppose?" Lily rolled her eyes from her father's arms.

"Well, what if we did Rosie?"

"You two are a hopeless case."

Fleur put a restraining hand on her husband, "Bill, leave zem alone! 'E von't see 'er until Creestmas."

"Which is exactly what I want."

"Bill!"

Bill, with no consolation left but to huff in frustration under his wife's penetrating glare, turned instead to his younger daughter, standing by the train's door, flanked on each side by James and Artie, discussing enthusiastically the places they planned to visit first in Hogsmede.

"You two," he addressed to the two boys, "you're to keep an eye on Dom and make sure no boys come within a _mile_ of her unless strictly necessary, understood?"

" _Pour l'amour du ciel!_ Leave ze cheeldren alone, Bill! Zey were only discussing 'Ogsmede!"

"She's thirteen this year, Fleur! We have to start keeping an eye on her too."

"You are 'opeless!"

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Mary couldn't help the laughter that escaped them and Bill turned on Harry, looking him squarely in the eyes, "Wait until Lily gets to Hogwarts and you _won't_ be laughing."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Harry sighed.

"Aunt Mary," Sirius interrupted, "did you say Alice is here already? She might miss the train if she doesn't get onto the platform soon."

"They were just buying some snacks on the way here, she should be here by – oh, there they are."

A family of three approached them, the daughter, her face, like her cousins' moments before, was as almost as red as her hair, seemingly flaring as it fell down her back. On either side were her parents; her father, older perhaps, but his face as round and jovial as it had been when he himself was a student, already wore the robes that marked the start of term, a wide grin on his face, her mother, with the same flaming hair was audibly arguing with her. Bringing up the rear were two red-faced teenagers, the one with flaring turquoise hair was looking at his feet, the other, whose silvery blonde hair seemingly flew behind her looked anywhere but at the people who they were approaching.

"Won't you give it a rest, Alice?" they could hear Ginny scold her daughter, "Daddy won't even be in the same compartment as you."

"But why can't he just apparate to Hogsmede like he does every year?" Alice pleaded.

"We've told you," Neville answered, in a tone that expressed that this conversation had already taken place several times, "I'm chaperoning the prefect's compartment so I have to take the train this year."

"Why do you have to chaperone at all? It looks like you're bringing me to school. It makes me look like a baby!"

"And now you're acting like one. Daddy's going on the train with you and that's final. One more word, Alice and _I_ will board the train as well and then you _will_ look like a baby, is that understood?" Ginny said in a tone of finality, closing all chance of discussion.

"Hello everyone," Ginny addressed to the crowd gathered in front of them, "sorry we're late. This girl decided to throw a tantrum on the way here and then we caught _these two_ ," she motioned towards Teddy Lupin and her niece pretending a sudden interest on a stain in the ground, "in that corner over there. We thought we'd save Teddy from any more trouble from Andromeda after that Skeeter's article and Vicky from _you_ , big brother, so we dragged them with us."

"Frankly," Neville laughed, "as Vicky's uncle I don't know whether I should be outraged by her conduct and take ten points away from Gryffindor right now, or whether I should let it pass."

"Pity Teddy's already finished with school," Ginny added for good measure, "you could have punished Ravenclaw for winning that first Quidditch match last year."

"No book, Rosie!," Teddy suddenly exclaimed, "well done!"

"How many books are they bribing you with this time, kid?" Victoire added enthusiastically, taking the little girl from her father, in an effort to divert attention.

"Goblins!" Teddy turned to the twins who have begun to act restless, "have I shown you yet the impression I can make of the minister? Here look."

"That," Ron guffawed, "is the worst change of subject I have ever seen. You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"And what do you know about that? I don't remember you doing any subject changing all those times you and _Lav-Lav_ were snogging all over Hogwarts!" Ginny retorted.

"What took you so long?" Sirius descended from the train, pulling Alice along, unable to speak over Mary's exclamations of laughter, which rose over the rest, "Louis and I have something to show you!" and the three disappeared again into the train, Alice's face brightening as she stepped away from her parents.

"You didn't bring the baby, Ginny?" Hermione asked as the laughter died down.

"Oh yes, we 'aven't seen 'im in veeks!" Fleur added, "Vhere ees 'e?"

"Fussing," Ginny answered, "so we left him at Mum's. That reminds me, lunch is at the Burrow today, no excuses. Mum's cooking up a storm and she wants everyone to be there."

"We'll follow. Just have to pass by Foyle's for that one," Harry pointed at Lily, laughing with the twins at what was now Teddy's impersonation of Hagrid.

"That's the bribe then? Blimey, I don't know how you fit all those books in your house!"

"You know, Harry," Neville stated, "McGonagall told me that if only Lily was born before Sirius and James, she might have considered delaying her retirement. 'Goodness, it will be like having Miss Granger back – what a blessed relief that would be! But with what I've seen of those two boys and of your wife's niece and nephews – well, good luck Longbottom. Trust me, you'll need it.' That was before Alice grew-up, of course."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Hermione laughed, "and seeing as I can't deny that my sons have taken after their father and grandfather..."

Suddenly, a whistle blew, signaling that the train was about to depart and the children hastily descended to receive their final goodbyes.

"Mum. Mum, I can't breath!" James exhaled from the circle of his mother's crushing embrace, "Dad, help me!"

Harry laughed and ruffled his son's hair before the boy, after a final embrace, mounted the train and reappeared at the window with Artie who himself had just emerged from his mother's fussing ("Let the boy go, Mary!" Ron had said).

"You boys and Dom behave yourselves," Hermione called, "and remember, James, one word and I can owl Neville to revoke your Hogsmede priveleges."

Sirius lingered a few minutes watching Louis' and his parents' exchange of "Dad can't you do something about Mum?" " _Ô, mon bébé, mon pauvre petit bébé_!" then threw himself, willingly, into both his parents' arms, lingering longer than his brother. "You'll send me an owl every week, right?" he whispered.

"Every day, if you want."

"And you'll remind Grandpa to buy me that book from Foyle's?"

"We'll mail it to you as soon as it comes out."

"And you'll owl my broom as soon as I make the team?"

"The week before!"

Dominique's "Yes, dad. I promise to not kiss boys in dark corners like Victoire does, can I get on the train now? She's already inside _not_ snogging Teddy!" convinced Sirius to finally jump on the train where he reappeared beside his brother seconds later.

With Alice's "Yes, Mum. I promise not to cause any problems for Daddy on the train. See you at Christmas!" all children and Neville were already at the window.

"See that boy over there?" Ron addressed his two younger nieces, pointing to a family of three still standing on the platform not so far away, "that's Scorpius Malfoy. Don't let yourselves get too friendly with him if you don't want Grandpa Weasley to disown you for marrying a pureblood."

"Honestly, Ron," Hermione rolled her eyes, "turning them against each other before they even start school!"

"I'd be telling Lily the same thing if she were with this lot. Good thing she has my goblins to stand guard. Oy, you three," he turned to the trio of Alice, Louis and Sirius, "if you don't get sorted into Gryffindor we're disowning you."

Alice and Louis looked scared but Sirius simply grinned, "I'll just ask the Sorting Hat to put me in Gryffindor. It did the same for Mum and Dad."

"That's my boy!" Harry laughed.

The train started moving.

"Why is everyone staring?" Alice asked.

"Haven't you heard, Sweetheart?" Neville teased, "your cousin's famous. Vicky's made the front page of the Prophet with Teddy."

"Sirius," Lily called, "Daddy's map is falling out of your book."

"Bye, mum, see you on Christmas!" Sirius shouted at the look of incredulity in his mother's face as the train started moving.

Soon, the grinning faces grew smaller and smaller.

"I'm betting a month," Mary suddenly said, her hand still waving, "one month before the first owl telling us that one or all of them had gotten into trouble. Any takers?"

"I'm betting a week," Hermione laughed, her eyes focused on the shrinking image carrying her sons away, "Sirius has clearly just stolen the Marauders Map from Harry's study and since Harry _deliberately_ gave James the invisibility cloak, I think the better question is which group gets into trouble _first_."

"You didn't stop either of them," Harry answered, pulling Hermione closer to him as Lily stood by their feet.

"And risk being called a hypocrite when all our children know how many times I got into trouble in Hogwarts because of you? Besides, they're our children, they're bound to get into trouble with or without the cloak and the map. I'd rather they have the means to stay out of detention than to get caught," she leaned further into Harry.

"If James has the cloak and Sirius has the map, what's left for me then, Daddy?" Lily ventured.

"With these two," Ron grinned, pointing to his sons, "you don't need a cloak or a map to get into trouble, Lil."

"Do you know, Harry, I don't think I've ever really forgiven you for sending Neville to confront that snake all those years ago," Ginny teased, "and now you're saying your son will be leading my daughter into more trouble? I can't say I agree with that."

"Alice doesn't need anyone to lead her into trouble, Aunt Gin," Teddy laughed, walking towards them from where he waved Victoire goodbye, "she finds trouble on her own."

Everyone, Lily and the twins included, laughed.

Harry watched the retreating train until a curve brought the laughing, happy faces out of sight.

It was strange, the normalcy with which they talked of their children's impending misdeeds, of ease with which they discussed the mischief that was bound to meet them in school, how they laughed about apples and trees and histories repeating themselves. It was odd how similar their children's childhoods were to their own, but what a relief how different it was also turning out to be!

Once, long ago, he hadn't expected himself to ever know such normality.

He took Hermione's hand in his own and she squeezed his in return. At his feet, he felt Lily's warm weight, sitting down now, tiring already after the early excitement of the day.

All of them who stood here still carried the scars of war, physically and emotionally. All of them had known lost. Was it so long ago that they themselves have boarded the train fearing the news of another lost, carried the weight of the world on their shoulders? How odd that another generation who carried their features, talked and acted like them even, sat laughing on the train to school, carrying none of the burdens their parents had, fearing only test scores and Filch, facing none of the losses they would never forget but have only heard of in stories, a future bright and unobstructed looming before them.

How odd it was, but how wonderful!

Harry watched his wife and knew, instinctively, that she thought the same things and felt the same way. All of them did, really.

"They'll be alright," he whispered.

"I know they will. We made sure they will."


End file.
